Last.



|NvENTnR 2 0 b L a M. d e n e t a P N 0 m, n. MA .L S E 9 5 4 9 6 0 N (Application filed May 18. 1801.)

(No Model.)

' \X/h'NESEESI 5 7%. 1 r v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EPI-IRAIM S. MORTON, OF BROCKTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

LAST.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 694,659, dated March 4, 1902.

Application filed May 18, I901- Serial No. 60,896. (No model.)

*To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EPHRAIM S. MORTON, of Brockton, in the county of Plymouth and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain 5 new and useful Improvements in Lasts, of

which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to boot or shoe lasts having stays to prevent splitting of the last. Such stays are commonly smooth rods riveted at their ends, and for these I substitute stays having helical flanges, the advantages of which are hereinafter set forth.

Of the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a side elevation of'a last provided with my improved stays. Fig. 2 represents a section on line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 represents a section on line 3 3 of Fig. 1, showin gthe spindle socket-piece slightly protruding. Fig. 4 is a similar view showing said socket-piece fully sunk into place.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the figures. Referring to the drawings, 1 represents a wooden last provided with stays 2 3, the number of which-may be varied at pleasure. It is common to provide one or more transverse stays in the last, usually in the vicinity of the spindle-socket, to prevent splitting of the last, such stays having heretofore consisted of smooth rods riveted over at their ends to provide retaining flanges or heads which resist a bulging pressure. The stays 2 3, however, as

constructed in accordance with my present invention, are provided, preferably from end to end, with a helical flange or screw-thread 4, which fits a correspondingly-shaped depression or groove in the last. The stay thus constituted preferably does not have the tapered shape of a wood-screw, but the cylindrical shape of a machine-screw. It may be applied to the last by screwing it into a socket previously'formed in the last to receive it, and for the purpose of so applying it a screw-driver slot 5 is formed in one end of the stay. By my improvement the staying surface and the security afiorded are greatly increased and the finish of the last improved. Other advantages obtained are durability and cheapness.

Inthe drawings the stay 3 is shown as supporting the lower end of the metallic socketpiece 6 for the jack spindle. It is common to support a spindle-socket' piece in a last by means of a stay; but a substantial improvement is provided by supporting such-socketpiece with a stay of the herein-described character in view of the greater longitudinal resisting power of a stay thus constructed and the consequent greater ability to resist the bending tendency, due to the pressure of cal rib engages some of the fibers of the wood,

and consequently resists tendency to split at all points engaged thereby. Therefore the center and all transverse portions of the last along the stay at points between the center and the ends of the stay or the sides of the last are protected against tendency to crack or split. I claim- A' last having a transverse stay extending fromside to side thereof, and provided with a helical retaining-flange extending throughout its length and engaging the fibers of the wood from end to end of the stay to prevent cracking or splitting of the last, whereby enlargement of the ends of the stay is avoided.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EPHRAIM S. MORTON.

Witnesses:

O. F. BROWN, R. M. PIERSON. 

